In Ashitaka's Shadow
by Blue Anime Kitty
Summary: Kaya has taken Ashitaka's place in the Emishi tribe. But, when darkness invades her home, will she be able to save it?


Hey! Ok, this is my first ever fanfic, so please, be easy on me! I tried really hard, and I would really like some reviews and such! Um, I would also like to thank my good friend NightChild01 for editing my little fic and helping me try and figure out how to work this stupid computer!!! *Hits computer* Um, sorry, I can be violent at times. I really do hate computers.although, for someone who hate's computers, I sure do spend a lot of time on them! Well, hope you all enjoy! Disclaimer: I don't own Monenoke Hime, only wish I did. Warning: Peoples, if you are looking for Yaoi, this ain't the right place! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Chapter 1: Ashitaka It was a lonely night. The trees' leaves sighed in the wind, and the winds  
  
voice rose up in angst. The mountains were saying goodbye to him. And so was she.  
  
"Good-bye...brother." She had lost him. The other half of her soul. The one  
  
person that always had made her smile, and had always looked out for her. She  
  
had lost her hero, her best friend, and her brother.  
  
"It's all my fault, Ashitaka! How could I have let this happen? If-i-if I had  
  
only run faster! Oh, Ashitaka!" Kaya flung herself to the ground, crying out  
  
to the world, but nobody but the trees seemed to hear.  
  
And so, they whispered his name, through the forest, crying along with the  
  
distraught girl.  
  
***  
  
It had been one week. Kaya had never found one smile. No one even talked  
  
about Ashitaka, and the pain in her heart could not be shared with others. So,  
  
every day, she visited the place where the Tatari Gami died. Where her brother  
  
had died.  
  
Ashitaka wasn't her real brother. Yet, ever since her parents had died,  
  
Ashitaka had been there to comfort her, consoling her in her troubling times. He  
  
had been the brother who took care of her afterwards, even though the village  
  
was supposed to do that. It had always been a comfort to Kaya to have Ashitaka  
  
there.  
  
But now, all she could do was weep her bitter tears. She sat in that place  
  
where the grass would no longer grow, and she mourned for her brother.  
  
"How? How can they just forget? He was there prince! HE- he saved the village  
  
numerous times! He was my brother! How can I just forget him? How can they  
  
expect me to just put him in the past when I know he is still alive, and  
  
suffering so that I could live? Why!? Oh, Tatari Gami, why do you make me suffer so!?  
  
Why!?" She was kneeling in front of the place where Ashitaka had killed the  
  
God. It hurt. It hurt so much to know why her prince was being forgotten. It  
  
hurt to know that the person she had cared the most for would be gone out of her  
  
life, and it was all her fault.  
  
"Who will protect the village now, Ashitaka? Who will be there to lead the  
  
men as they hunt?"  
  
Then, an idea struck her. Ashitaka would never come back, but she would never  
  
let this village forget him. She would take his place. She would be the one  
  
to protect the village. She would be the one to lead the men out to hunt. She  
  
would become great, and she would do it in Ashitaka's name. She would become  
  
the village's Ashitaka. And then, she would venture out, and find the true  
  
Ashitaka.  
  
"Ashitaka, I swear, I will protect this village with my life! I will not let  
  
you go away! You will stay here, with the Emishi, in our hearts! Thank you  
  
Ashitaka. Thank you."  
  
***  
  
" No, I will not allow it," Hii-Sama, the wise woman of the Emishi, had her  
  
brow furrowed. Her voice was stern and commanding, reprimanding the youngster  
  
that had confronted her.  
  
" But, Hii-Sama, who will protect the village? Now all we have are women and  
  
old men, and children! How can we defend ourselves without a warrior?" Kaya  
  
pleaded.  
  
" And, how, child, did you ever think that you could become a warrior? You  
  
are a child, and a girl at that! How are you supposed to become the Emishi's  
  
sole protector, when you couldn't even defend yourself? How, child?"  
  
"Yes, I am weak now, but I promise, I will get stronger! I will be the  
  
warrior you want! Trust me! Ashitaka does!" Kaya's eyes had filled with tears, yet  
  
she refused to cry in front of Hii-Sama. She had to ((note from me: "must"  
  
didn't sound right to me, but you're the authoress and if you like "must", use  
  
it)) remain strong, and show her that she was capable of anything a man could do!  
  
"Do not mention his name! Remember, he is dead to us, no matter what happens!  
  
You cannot dishonor the Emishi by going against our beliefs and talking as if  
  
our prince were still alive! Remember that!"  
  
"I will become strong, Hii-Sama, no matter what you say. I shall do it in  
  
honor of Ashitaka, and for no one else. I will protect this village, because it  
  
is my home! I shall be the warrior, no matter what you say!" Kaya's eyes shone  
  
brightly in the dimly lit hut. There was passion behind those words.  
  
Hii-Sama saw the look in her eyes. And, no matter how much she denied it,  
  
that was the same look that Ashitaka always had. She knew that this girl was  
  
meant to take his place.  
  
"Let us consult the bones," She had a weary look on her face, as if her age  
  
was finally showing through. She went to the corner of her hut and grabbed the  
  
bag, and then walked slowly back to where Kaya was sitting. She looked  
  
longingly at the stand in the corner, where all of the Royal buns were kept.  
  
Ashitaka's seemed to stand out, for it was the only one that was not gray. She let out  
  
a heavy sigh, and then looked into the eager eyes that watched her intently.  
  
Putting her hand into the bag, she pulled out what she was looking for, and threw  
  
them across the wooden floor.  
  
Hii-Sama's look became one of intensity. Her gaze discovered that she had  
  
been correct. This girl was destined to become a great warrior. Yet, there was an  
  
overcoming sadness that also was foretold in the stones. She could tell  
  
nothing else.  
  
"They have foretold it, and they have never been wrong before. Yes, you shall  
  
become the new warrior. You shall protect this village with your life, and  
  
you shall guard our secrets well. Yet, I fear that soon, there will be no more  
  
villagers to guard. Kaya, you must have noticed it. The wind speaks it. We are  
  
a dead people. As you said, the only men we have are old, and we grow sparse.  
  
Soon, we will only be memories, I am afraid. I was sure that it would happen  
  
when he left. There is no way to survive in a place like this, in a world so  
  
against our existence. But, you, Kaya, you will be great. And you seem to be the  
  
last hope of the Emishi." She wasn't looking at Kaya. She seemed to be  
  
looking through the wall, to something that Kaya could not see.  
  
The wind picked up, and it started to sigh.  
  
Ashitaka.  
  
Suddenly, something spooked a rook of crows, and they went flying into the  
  
air, cawing at one another. There black feathers fluttered down onto the small  
  
village of the Emishi. It did not bode well. So, did ya like it? Did ya, did ya, did ya?! Well, hope you did.and, if there is anything to improve upon, please do tell! I can stand up to at least a couple flames! Oh, and sorry nothing really happens in this chapter.but, hey, stick with me! IT does get more exciting! Blue Kitty ^~^  
='.'= 


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